The threatened strike of low-paid workers at Chicago’s O’Hare airport didn’t happen at Thanksgiving time as originally proposed, but did occur today as part of a nationwide series of strikes. In some cities, protesters blocking public streets were arrested, but the predicted disruption of air travel at the country’s busiest airports didn’t happen. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
United Airlines Passenger Opens Exit Door, Hops Out While Plane Taxis
By 11.29.16
It’s always important to know where the exits are on an aircraft, but it’s also important that you not use the exit until the plane has come to a stop — and even then, you should not take it upon yourself to open the door. These are lessons that one United Airlines passenger apparently forgot. [More]
Do Airlines Really Ban Unruly Passengers For Life?
By 11.29.16 — Updated: 2.7.17
Here at Consumerist, we have seen more than our fair share of stories involving unruly or otherwise disruptive passengers who have gotten themselves kicked off flights for bad behavior. But upon hearing that Delta Air Lines had banned a passenger for life after he was caught on video yelling at his fellow travelers, we had to wonder: What do you have to do to get banned from an airline forever, and which U.S. carriers have such a policy in place? [More]
Hackers Breached San Francisco Transit System, Held It Hostage All Weekend
By 11.28.16
San Francisco residents bustling around this weekend to visit friends and knock out some holiday shopping were treated to an unexpected surprise: all rides on MUNI rail were free. It wasn’t due to a gesture of goodwill from the transit operator, though; it was because hackers had managed to lock out the fare system and were holding it hostage. [More]
In Time For Black Friday, Judge Issues Restraining Order Against Striking Pilots At Amazon-Backed Cargo Line
By 11.23.16
About 40 hours after pilots at Amazon-backed cargo airline ABX went on strike, threatening to throw a wrench in the holiday shipping plans of the country’s largest online retailer (and others), a federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order against the striking pilots. [More]
Kia Recalls 72K Sportages Over “Thermal Events” — A Snazzy Way Of Saying “Fire”
By 11.23.16 — Updated: 11.27.16
Blaze, inferno, and conflagration are all words that can be use interchangeably with “fire.” But, as referenced in Kia’s latest recall, the carmaker has its own term to describe the incident you never want to happen to your vehicle — “thermal event.” [More]
Safety Regulators Hope A “Driver Mode” On Phones Would Curb Distracted Driving
By 11.23.16
Whether it’s Tweeting, SnapChatting, playing Pokémon Go, or just sending a text while on the road, it’s clear that smartphones present a potentially deadly distraction for drivers. Most states have banned or restricted texting while driving, but these problems persist. Now federal safety regulators are proposing new guidelines to curb distracted driving, including asking phone manufacturers to include a “Driver Mode” that would limit the use of a smartphone while behind the wheel. [More]
Monday Projected To Be A Record Day For Online Shippers
By 11.23.16
In news that will surprise absolutely no one, the major package carriers, UPS and FedEx, expect to handle record numbers of packages this holiday seasons. As Americans shift more of our holiday shopping — and more of our shopping in general — online, that makes this Monday particularly important for retailers. [More]
“World’s Largest Waterslide” To Be Torn Down After 10-Year-Old’s Death
By 11.23.16
Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, KS, will no longer be home to the “world’s largest waterslide.” Three months after a 10-year-old boy died on the ride, officials with the park say they will tear down and replace the main attraction — The Verrückt. [More]
Toyota Recalling 744,000 Sienna Minivans Because Doors Can Open While Driving
By 11.22.16
Unless you have little regard for your personal safety or the safety of those in your vehicle, you generally want the doors on your minivan to remain closed while it’s in operation. But Toyota says that a defect in its Sienna minivan can result in the doors opening on their own. [More]
Tesla, SolarCity Showed Off Their Work By Powering An Entire Island
By 11.22.16
You may have heard that Tesla recently completed its $2.6 billion merger with SolarCity — a company already chaired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But before the two companies could sign on the dotted line, they had to prove their partnership was worthwhile, and they apparently accomplished that by joining forces to power an entire island with solar energy. [More]
Why Does It Matter If Your Train Operator Has A Snoring Problem?
By 11.22.16
For most people, snoring is a minor annoyance — and usually for the loved one of the snorer. But if that snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, it could be a health issue that leaves you working through the day without a full night’s rest. That’s particularly problematic if your job involves controlling a massive train carrying hundreds of people at high speeds.
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A Strike At An Airline You Probably Never Heard Of Could Mess Up Your Christmas Shopping
By 11.22.16
Unless you work in shipping logistics or aviation, you’re probably not familiar with ABX Air. You can’t book a ticket on the Ohio-based airline; it doesn’t carry passengers. It carries boxes. And as the companies it carries boxes for — including Amazon — are ramping up for the super-busy holiday retail season, ABX pilots have gone on strike, potentially leaving a lot of those boxes in the lurch. [More]
Uber: No, We’re Not Going To Sell User Information
By 11.21.16
Late last week, Twitter began to light up with claims that Uber had changed its terms of service to give the company the right to to modify and sell users’ data — not a minor concern for any privacy-minded consumer. However, Uber points out that the specific clause at the center of this mini-controversy is not new, not unique to the ride-hailing service, and doesn’t give the company that god-like authority some people are claiming. [More]
Volvo Launches Concierge Service To Fill Up, Wash Vehicles On Demand
By 11.18.16
Owning a car means you have to wash it, take it in for needed maintenance, and of course fill it with gas if you want to actually go anywhere. But those pesky chores no longer have to be part of the equation if you own a Volvo. [More]
NJ Man Arrested For 323 Toll Violations Worth $20K Enters Drivers’ Hall Of Toll Shame
By 11.18.16
There’s that one time you didn’t realize your auto-paying toll pass wasn’t in the car, and then there’s earning yourself 323 toll violations and failing to pay the $20,869 in fees and fines you owe. [More]
Hundreds Of O’Hare Airport Workers Vote To Strike Just In Time For Thanksgiving
By 11.18.16
Planning on flying into, out of, or through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for the Thanksgiving holiday? You should be prepared for some disruptions in travel, after hundreds of airport workers voted to go on strike over wages. [More]
Amazon To Sell Fiat Chrysler Vehicles — But Only In Italy
By 11.18.16
You really can buy anything on Amazon. Fiat Chrysler says it has inked a deal with the e-commerce giant to sell its vehicles for a discount online, but only if the buyers live in Italy. [More]
